Autstralia is a tolerant society and has a mix of many different cultures. Although it is more geographically close to Asia, it has a culture that shares a great amount of similarities with the United States and Great Britain. This stems from the fact that Australia used to be a British colony. Despite the many similarities however, there are many things that make Australian culture unique.
Greeting: - When greeting others, people commonly shake hands, and people who don't know each other well do not really hug or kiss. - Looking someone in the eyes while talking is a sign of respect and an indication that you are listening to them - Most people call each other by their first names - Very similar to the U.S. and the U.K.
Clothing: - There are no formal laws or rules on clothing - Dress codes are present in the workplace and in some other places like clubs or formal restuarants - Clothing from different cultures is accepted - Most of the population wears modern clothing much like that found in the U.S. and U.K. - People will wear bathing suits to the beach and they are acceptable in public
Behavior: - Being polite in Australia consists of using many phrases like: Please; Thank you; No, thank you; Sorry; Excuse me - People act like they would in the U.K. or U.S.
Slang: - "Bring a plate" - means bring a food dish to a party - "BYO" - bring your own... - "Arvo" - afternoon - "Fortnight" - a period of two weeks - "Barbecue, BBQ, or Barbie" - outdoor cooking, usually that of meat over a grill - "Chook" - chicken - "Cuppa" - cup of coffee or tea - "Loo or dunny" - toilet - "Fair dinkum?" - "Is it true?" - "Crook" - sick - "Flat out" - busy - "Shout" - to buy a drink or round of drinks - "Bloke" - man - "How ya goin?" - "How are you?" Much slang and vocabulary of Australian culture is derived from the phonetic spelling of many words from the language of the Aboriginal Australians, or the indigenous people. More info about Australian slang at: http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/slang/
Autstralia is a tolerant society and has a mix of many different cultures. Although it is more geographically close to Asia, it has a culture that shares a great amount of similarities with the United States and Great Britain. This stems from the fact that Australia used to be a British colony. Despite the many similarities however, there are many things that make Australian culture unique.
Greeting:
- When greeting others, people commonly shake hands, and people who don't know each other well do not really hug or kiss.
- Looking someone in the eyes while talking is a sign of respect and an indication that you are listening to them
- Most people call each other by their first names
- Very similar to the U.S. and the U.K.
Clothing:
- There are no formal laws or rules on clothing
- Dress codes are present in the workplace and in some other places like clubs or formal restuarants
- Clothing from different cultures is accepted
- Most of the population wears modern clothing much like that found in the U.S. and U.K.
- People will wear bathing suits to the beach and they are acceptable in public
Behavior:
- Being polite in Australia consists of using many phrases like: Please; Thank you; No, thank you; Sorry; Excuse me
- People act like they would in the U.K. or U.S.
Slang:
- "Bring a plate" - means bring a food dish to a party
- "BYO" - bring your own...
- "Arvo" - afternoon
- "Fortnight" - a period of two weeks
- "Barbecue, BBQ, or Barbie" - outdoor cooking, usually that of meat over a grill
- "Chook" - chicken
- "Cuppa" - cup of coffee or tea
- "Loo or dunny" - toilet
- "Fair dinkum?" - "Is it true?"
- "Crook" - sick
- "Flat out" - busy
- "Shout" - to buy a drink or round of drinks
- "Bloke" - man
- "How ya goin?" - "How are you?"
Much slang and vocabulary of Australian culture is derived from the phonetic spelling of many words from the language of the Aboriginal Australians, or the indigenous people.
More info about Australian slang at: http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/slang/